5 burning questions as Premier League resumes after World Cup break

The World Cup in Qatar had its curtain name final Sunday when Argentina had been topped champions, however that does not imply the footballing world is now devoid of high motion. In truth, it has already kicked off because the Carabao Cup and Copa del Rey return on Tuesday.

Because of the bizarre timing of this World Cup, European golf equipment from high leagues have been working all through the World Cup, getting ready their returns to their respective campaigns, and within the Premier League it’s no totally different. It is honest to say that this previous month has been dealt with as a second preseason for groups within the richest league on this planet, as many clubs have traveled to warmer climates for coaching, friendlies and much-needed changes.

The reality is, nevertheless, that regardless that golf equipment’ itineraries in latest weeks appeared just like a July and August offseason schedule, the stakes on this explicit state of affairs are a lot, a lot increased. There isn’t any clean slate or a brand new season set to start — somewhat, what comes subsequent is the second act as there’s already a storyline to proceed or attempt to reverse.

If this had been a Shakespearean tragedy, this might be the second the place the plot set in movement turns into extra difficult as extra questions come up. Can Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal preserve their five-point lead regardless of shedding key gamers to damage? How about Newcastle United and their continued quest so as to add extra stress to the top-four race? What’s going to Man Metropolis and Liverpool do and, most significantly, what can we count on from the freshly rejuvenated Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah given they missed the World Cup?

Listed below are the most important Premier League questions forward of the return to motion on Dec. 26.

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Can Arsenal maintain going?

After watching their facet beat AC Milan and Lyon in Dubai, earlier than shedding 2-0 to Juventus in a pleasant on the Emirates, no different fan base could also be happier for the return of the Premier League on Boxing Day than Arsenal. Arteta’s group are 5 factors clear on the high of the Premier League — their greatest lead in pole place since 2013 — and have regarded nice doing it. With 12 wins and 37 factors, the Gunners are additionally having fun with their greatest report ever this far right into a season.

There are urgent points, nevertheless, as Gabriel Jesus‘ knee damage will maintain him out for round 10-12 weeks, relying on how easily his restoration goes. Thus, Arteta absolutely should discover a alternative in January that he can solely hope will make up for the Brazilian’s contributions of 5 objectives and 6 assists in 14 league appearances.

The Arsenal assault just isn’t all in regards to the 25-year-old, however he’s little question an enormous a part of Arsenal’s technique. “We’re trying and we’re energetic within the potentialities,” Arteta stated final week. “If we are able to discover the gamers that may strengthen the group, we’ll attempt.”

There may be excellent news as Emile Smith Rowe will get nearer to a return after a prolonged absence on account of a groin damage. The 22-year-old was super final season, with 10 objectives from 21 league appearances, second within the Arsenal tally solely to Bukayo Saka, so he may show very important in 2023. The attacking space does want a little bit assist, given the truth that Gabriel Martinelli remains to be away after his spell with Brazil and solely Eddie Nketiah is a central striker.

For Arteta, the target is obvious: Hold going, match by match. That is, after all, simpler stated than executed, particularly because the Europa League comes into play and the schedule turns into extra congested. It would take a whole squad to totally take cost and hand Arsenal their first Premier League title since 2003-04, which was their momentous Invincibles season.

Can rejuvenated Haaland offset Man Metropolis’s World Cup absentees?

Erling Haaland, the Norwegian model of a Transformers character, has used the previous month to recharge each mentally and bodily. Time is a commodity not typically out there right now of the season, particularly to skilled gamers at this degree, and the query is how a lot which will assist Haaland, who spent the primary half of the Premier League season scoring at a record-setting clip of 23 objectives in 18 video games.

Man Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola allowed his gamers to take a protracted break earlier than their Abu Dhabi five-day camp earlier this month, which included seven first-team gamers and the membership’s growth squad, and Haaland spent it properly at his dwelling in Marbella, Spain. As soon as he returned, Man Metropolis coaching classes will need to have felt fairly lonely for the 22-year-old, because the membership had 16 gamers from the primary group in Qatar, probably the most out of any Premier League membership.

However there is no motive to doubt that he used this almost-empty surroundings as gasoline, and Haaland will probably be greater than able to go towards Leeds United on Dec. 28. After camp, Haaland featured towards Girona final week — the membership’s solely pleasant throughout this break — and scored. We’ll should see what number of minutes he performs towards Liverpool within the Carabao Cup spherical of 16 on Thursday night time, however one thing tells us he is wanting to function in each single recreation.

Haaland took half in nearly each match earlier than the World Cup, and this precipitated a small knock to the striker, forcing Guardiola to provide him a break in among the final matches earlier than Qatar. Now that the Premier League Golden Boot chief is again — and with the incredible Julian Alvarez out for some time after his unimaginable marketing campaign in Qatar, which ended him in being topped a World Cup champion with Argentina — Haaland has to take extra duty for Man Metropolis. It is a large position, because the membership will do every part of their energy to retain the league title and lastly win the Champions League.

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Are Newcastle United title contenders?

Here is a reality: Newcastle United return to the Premier League with 30 factors. Beneath supervisor Eddie Howe, they’ve solely misplaced as soon as this season, sitting two factors behind Man Metropolis and 7 from Arsenal, albeit with an additional recreation performed. What’s extra spectacular, nevertheless, is the style during which they had been taking part in earlier than the World Cup break: relentless going ahead, defensively robust [they have the joint-best defensive record alongside Arsenal] and stuffed with confidence.

St. James’ Park is a fortress as soon as once more, and groups are legitimately cautious of the Magpies. It is a very robust group, and because of their Saudi Arabia-backed possession, they’re financially affluent. The opposite excellent news for Newcastle followers is that the first-team gamers who took half on the World Cup did not actually play many minutes, so their contributions upon returning shouldn’t be too restricted. Oh, and Miguel Almiron, who had the World Cup break off as Paraguay did not qualify, is freshly rested.

The Magpies’ schedule is harder in 2023 and their greatest challenges will come within the second half of the season. Besides, it is greater than honest to say that Newcastle have a really sensible alternative to enter the title race. In addition they have one benefit over Man Metropolis and Arsenal: they do not have continental competitors to fret about. The query is, will they take advantage of out of it?

Who can nonetheless upset the leaders in race for high 4 and Europe?

It is a very aggressive battle for a UEFA Champions League spot within the Premier League. Solely eight factors separate first-place Arsenal and fourth-place Tottenham. There may be an additional recreation performed, however the level nonetheless stands — anybody on the entrance of the pack can take one thing out of anybody proper now. Beneath that, it turns into much more intriguing because the distinction between fifth-place Man United and eighth-place Chelsea is 5 factors. Even newly-promoted Fulham have an opportunity as they’re simply behind in ninth with 19 factors.

As tight as this narrative continues to be, Liverpool and Chelsea know there isn’t a time to be careless within the second half of the season. Liverpool, similar to Haaland and Man Metropolis, would require a contemporary Salah up high to assist climb up the desk. That is very true as Jurgen Klopp’s facet face notable absences corresponding to winger Luis Diaz, who will probably be out for 3 months after requiring knee surgical procedure. Klopp referred to as it a “correct smash within the face” whereas in Dubai for coaching. It is higher information for Portugal ahead Diogo Jota, who may come again by the top of subsequent month after being sidelined since October on account of a calf damage.

Regardless, Liverpool — who are listening to offers as Fenway Sports Group put the club up for sale — know they should strengthen within the January switch window because the aforementioned Salah, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino are the one match and out there attackers. Sitting in sixth place, the purple facet of Merseyside have to enhance to be able to attain a Champions League spot.

For Chelsea, it is related, however at the least Klopp has the backing of his fan base and confirmed expertise of guiding Liverpool out of tough conditions. It’s extremely totally different for Graham Potter, who solely took the helm of Chelsea in September after leaving Brighton, a group that simply so occur to be above Chelsea within the desk on purpose distinction. After Chelsea’s loss to Newcastle within the final matchday earlier than the World Cup, Potter grew to become the primary Blues supervisor to lose three consecutive league video games since Jose Mourinho in 2014-15, and the writing was on the wall by the point Mourinho was fired later that yr.

Chelsea must get it collectively and quick. With information of striker Armando Broja out for the remainder of the season after a knee damage throughout their warmup fixture towards Aston Villa, co-owner Todd Boehly has to behave as soon as once more in January. With Christopher Nkunku reportedly not becoming a member of from RB Leipzig earlier than the summer time, there’s so much to do subsequent month within the window. Can Chelsea climb up the desk? Do the followers belief Potter? We’ll have to attend and see.

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Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens focus on a potential transfer to Aston Villa for Atletico Madrid ahead Joao Felix.

Can any groups within the backside half of the desk shock us?

The distinction between ninth and twentieth on the Premier League desk is 9 factors. Three victories — that is it. With the added reality that the majority of these squads did not even have that many gamers in Qatar, this break has been an ideal probability for them to totally regroup forward of attempting to make a run up the desk. Whether or not these groups used the break to their benefit stays to be seen, nevertheless.

We already noticed Aston Villa’s brilliant begin beneath supervisor Unai Emery because the Spanish supervisor got here out with two wins in his first two league matches towards Man United and Brighton respectively. The World Cup break has featured warmup matches the place we have seen a extra organized and artistic facet, and with World Cup champion Emiliano Martínez returning, confidence must be excessive at Villa Park. The board promised Emery a funds for January, so there must be motion within the switch window. Maybe not for €100m-rated Atletico Madrid ahead Joao Felix, as some had hoped, however the ambition is legit.

In the meantime, Emery’s compatriot, Julen Lopetegui, is in cost not too far-off at Wolves, additionally close to the underside of the desk. The previous Real Madrid and Sevilla supervisor has so much to do to be able to climb out of the relegation zone, however he’s an excellent tactician who’s already making a plan, reportedly aiming for six transfers in January. We’ll see how he does within the Premier League and if he can get them out of the drop zone.

Elsewhere, Nathan Jones will hope to vary Southampton‘s methods as the previous Luton supervisor changed Ralph Hasenhuttl, while West Ham’s subsequent three matches may simply decide David Moyes’ destiny.

Oh, and at last, let’s finish this dialogue with Bournemouth and their new part-owner Michael B. Jordan. The membership, who’re solely three factors off the relegation zone, introduced the actor’s minority stake after billionaire Invoice Foley’s takeover was confirmed. Jordan will work along with Foley “in areas together with international advertising and internationalization of the membership,” per Foley’s firm Cannae Holdings, who additionally personal NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.

So I suppose we are able to name him Michael Bournemouth Jordan? Apologies for Thomas Muller-esque joke. Could not resist.